Deep well pumping apparatus



Dec. 3, 1935. A, M, HERBSMN ET AL 2,022,859

DEEP WELLl PUMPING- APPARATUS Filed July 10, 1935 l5 Sheets-Sheet l ww 2 WM EEE DEEP WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed. July lO, 1933 5 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Dec. 3, 1.935. A. M. HERBSMAN ET AL 2,022,859

DEEP WELL PUMPING' APPARATUS Filed July lO, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mum rmel/f1( Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,022,859 DEEP WELL PUMIPING APPARATUS Application July 1o, 1933, ser-iai No. 619,682

. 14 Claims.

Our invention relates to the deep well pumping art and is particularly useful in the pumping of deep oil wells.

In pumping deep oil wells, which frequently run down to depths of seventy-live hundred feet, there is a considerable problem introduced by the occurrence of gas at the lower end of the well which tends to interfere with the proper operation of the valves of the pump.

It is accordingly an important object of our invention to provide a deep well pumping apparatus, the operation of which will not be interfered with by the presence of a gas at the lower end of the well.

It is a further object of our invention to provide an emcient deep well pumping apparatus which is fluid operated.

Much of the crude petroleum produced forms an emulsion with water in the well while the oil is being pumped.

It is yet anotherobject of our invention to provide a novel method of and apparatus for treating the oil as it is being pumped to substantially prevent the formation of this emulsion and to break down any such emulsion as does form.

'I'he manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of well illustrating an installation of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the motor of our apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the gas pump of our apparatus. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper half of the motor of our apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the parts of said motor positioned as just before the striking of a. hammer blow on the valves of the motor. I

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating the position of the parts just after such a hammer blow has been struck.I

views taken on correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of our invention here shown in- 5 cludes a well casing 20 which is installed in a deep well 2l and is provided with a casing head 22 at its upper end. The casing 2| is provided with perforations 23 to permit a flow of well liquid into this casing. The upper end of the l0 casing 20 is connected to a. pipe 25 which leads to a pump 26, this pump being adapted to'draw liquid through a pipe 21 from a. tank 28. Extending downwardly through the casing head 22 is a tube 29, the upper end of which connects with 16 the tank 28. Leading from the tank 28 to a suitable storage tank (not shown) is an overflow pipe 30.

Connecting with the pipe 25 is the discharge pipe 3| of av treating `chemical pump 32, the 20 purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

In the normal installation of the apparatus of our -invention the tubing 29 is the pump tubing of the well and the casing20 is the final inside casing installed in the well. Connected to the 25 lower end of the pump tubing 29 is the motor and pump assembly 35 of our invention. This assembly includes a motor 36, a packer 31, a gas pump 38, and a liquid pump 39.

- The motor 36 is practically completely shown 30 in Fig. 2 and includes upper and Jlower halves which are substantial duplicates of each other so that a description of the upper half of the motor will suffice for describing the entire motor. For distinguishing between upper and lower 35 halves of the motor, however, parts of the lower half will be identified by the same numbers as corresponding parts of -the upper half with a prime attached. The motor 36 has upper and lower cylinders 42 and 42', adjacent ends of 40 these cylinders having collars 43 and 43', these collars being threadedly connected by a valve mechanism shell 44, this shell having openings 45 for the admission of fluid thereto. Disposed within the shell 44 and compressed between the 45 collars 43 and 43 is a valve cage 46, a spacer 41,.and a valve cage 46.

As before stated, the motor/ 36 includes upper and lower halves which are duplicates of each other. A line C-L drawn across the middle of 50 Fig. 2 indicates the dividing plane between these two halves. A description will now follow of the parts of the motor 36 above this line which, as before mentioned, will suillce for the entire motor 56 unit.

The upper motor cylinder -42 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is connected to the lower end of the pump tube 29. As shown in Fig. 4, a cup plunger 50 is slidably disposed in the cylinder 42 and is connected to the upper end of a piston sleeve 5| which extends downwardly through the motor 36 as shown in the drawings. The sleeve 5| is provided with holes 52 substantially at its middle and has a cam ring 53 and a stop ring 54 secured as by a pin to the exterior thereof Aas clearly shown in Fig. 4. Resting against the stop ring 54 is a valve hammer collar 55 which, as shown in Fig. 11, has two dogs 56 pivotally mounted at opposite sides thereof and is provided with passageways 51 through which liquid may pass by this collar. The dogs 56 are normally held in outward position by a circular band spring 58 as shown in Fig. 14. Yieldably holding the collar 55 against the stop ring 54 is a coil spri'ng 59. Gripped between the cylinders 42 and the assembly collar 43 is a ring 60.

Slidably disposed about the piston sleeve 5| is a valve tappet ring 62, this ring having a number of passageways 63 formed therein for the purpose of allowing the free flow of iiuid past this ring.

The valve cage 46, as shown in Figs. 4, 8, 9, and 12, has a packing gland 65 which makes a fluid-tight iit with the sleeve 5|. Also four inlet passages 66 are formed through the cage 46, these ports having seats 61. The passages 86 are fluted to and from seats 61 as shown in Fig. 12, that is, both above and below these seats. Interspersed between the passages 66 are four passages 10, as shown in Fig. 9, these passages communicating through ports 1| with an annular space 12 between the sleeve 5| and the spacer tube 41. The passages 10 have valve seats 13,

the portions of these passages disposed upwardly' from these valve seats being iiuted.

v ing 16 having a series of four passageways 11 formed therein and a series of detents 18 which are disposed opposite each of these passageways,

the passageways 11 being in alignment with the passages 66 in the valve cage 46.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 7, it is to be noted that chain-like valve assemblies extend through each of the passages 66, 11, 117| and 66', these passages being in alignment in the motor 36.H Each of the assemblies 80 includes a valve head 8| having a stem 82 and connected by a ball and socket joint 83 to a detent bar 84 having a detent recess 85. Each valve assembly 80 also has a valve head 86 provided with a stem 81 and connected by a screw adjustment link 88 to a detent bar 89 having a detent notch 90. The bars 84 and 89 areheld in spaced relation by a spacer rod 9|.

The valve assemblies 80 are connected at their upper ends by spider rings 93 and at their lower ends by spider rings 93', the stems 82 and 81 extending through these rings respectively and carrying anvil caps 94 and 94.

Yieldably mounted on the spider ring 93, as shown in Fig. `9, are four exhaust valves 96 which are aligned with and extend into upper ends of the passages 10 in the valve cage 46. Owing to the fact that the passages 10 above the valve seats 13 are uted laterally, the valves 96V are open when raised from these seats as shown in Fig. 9.

An opposite pair of the valve assemblies 80 is assembled as shown in Fig. 7. while the alternate pair is reversed so that the valves 86 are disposed opposite the valve seats 61 and the valves 8| are disposed adjacent the valve seats 61'.

The lower motor cylinder 42' connects to the packer 31 and the latter supports the gas pump 39 as shown in Fig. 3. The gas pump 38 includes 5 a head |00 which screws upon a nipple |0| extending downwardly from the packer 31. The head |00 has a packing gland |02 which makes a fluid-tight t with the piston sleeve 5 I Mounted in the head |00 are spring pressed intake valves 10 |03 which receive gas from the space outside the head |00 and admit this .inwardly into the space about the piston sleeve 5|. Screwed onto the head |00 is a gas pump cylinder4 |05, the lower end of which is screwed onto a head |06 15 which is a duplicate of the head |00. Slidably disposed within the cylinder |05 is a gas pump plungerv ||2 which divides the interior of this cylinder into pump chambers |'|3 and ||4. The sleeve- 5| is parted, threaded, and screwed into 20 opposite ends of the plunger |2 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Pump exhaust valves ||5 are provided in the plunger I2, these valves -receiving gas from upper and lower pump chambers ||3 and ||4 and discharging this gas through ports ||6 into 25 the interior of the sleeve 5I. v

The lower end of the piston sleeve 5| exten downwardly through the packing gland of the gas pump head |06 into the upper end of a liquid pump barrel |20 of the liquid pump 39. As shown 30 in Fig. 1, this liquid pump has a plunger |2| hav-` ing upper and lower working valves |22 and |23, and the cylinder |20 has a standing valve |24 provided at its lower end. The lower end of the motor piston sleeve 5| connects to the upper end 35 of the plunger |2| so that reciprocation of this sleeve causes operation of the pump 39.

Provided on the upper end of the motor piston 50 is a check valve |30, which allows a :dow of liquid upwardly through the piston 50 but pre- 40 vents a downward flow therethrough.

` Operation.

In order to operate the apparatus 35 after it is installed as above described the engine or, other 45 means for operating the pump 26 is set in motion so as to draw well liquid from the tank 28 and force this downward between the tube 29 and the casing 20. This liquid enters the ports 45 shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The views in Figs. 2 and 4 illus- 50 trate the parts of the motor 36 while the piston unit thereof (including pistons 50 and 50 and sleeve 5|) is travelling downward. As will be noted, the valve heads 8| are seated on the valve seats 61 so as to shut 0E access of the fluid en- 55- tering the ports 45 to the upper cylinder 42. As shown in Fig. .7, however, the valves 86 are open at this time, thus permitting the fluid entering the ports 45 to pass downwardly into the lower cylinder 42', this iiuid operating against the lower 60 piston 50' and causing downward movement of the pistons andthe connecting piston sleeve 5|.

The valve assemblies 80 are at this time held in their uppermost positions by contact of the detents 18 with the notches 90, as shown in Fig. 65 '1. This holds up the spider rings 93 and 93' and holds open the exhaust valves 96, permitting liquid in the cylinder 42 to be discharged therefrom through the ports 1| and the holes 52 into the interior of the sleeve 5|. The spider 93', how- 70 ever, holds the valves 96 (not shown) closed so as to confine the fluid discharged into the lower cylinder 42 and thus make the force of this uid effective in causing a downward power stroke.

As the piston and sleeve unit of the motor 36 75 moves downwardly the dogs 56 are brought into liquid down through the tube 29. This urges the contact with the ring 60 as shown in Fig. 5 so as to halt the downward movement of the valve hammer collar 55. Further downward movement of the sleeve 5|, however, brings the cam ring 53 into contact with the dogs 56 so as to swing these inwardly out of contact with the ring 60.- This is not accomplished, however, before a considerable pressure is placed on the collar 55 by the spring 59 so that when the release of the dogs on the ring 60 takes place the collar 55 is shot downwardly with considerable force to strike a hammer blow upon the valve rtappet rings 62 which transmits the blow to the anvil caps 94, this blow suddenly driving the valve assemblies downward, thus opening the valves 8|, closing the valve 86, closing the valves 96, and opening the valves 96'. 'I'he valve assemblies 80 are held in their new positions by the detents 18 dropping into the notches in the same manner as the detents 18' are shown'in the notches 90 in Fig. 7. The shift in the positions of the valve assemblies 80 results in shutting oif the uid from the lower motor cylinder 42', opening the exhaust valves 96 leading from that cylinder, closing the exhaust valves leading from the upper cylinder, and opening the valves 8| admitting power iiuid to the upper cylinder.

When the piston and sleeve unit of the motor 36 reaches its upwardmost position the valve assemblies 80 are shifted upwardly by a hammer blow from beneath in exactly the same manner as they were shifted downwardly in the operation above described.

In this manner the piston and sleeve unit is continually reciprocated by the fluid which enters the ports 45. 'Ihis reciprocation effects a pumping action of the gas pump 38, any gas in the casing 20 just beneath the packer 31 being drawn in through the valves |03 of the heads |00 and |06, compressed in the chambers ||3 and IM, and, passing through the valves ||5, is discharged inwardly through the ports ||6 into the interior of. the sleeve 5|. Also, recprocation of the sleeve 5| operates the plunger |2| of the liquid pump 39 so as to draw a stream of liquid from the lower end of the casing 20 and force this upwardly through the piston sleeve 5| into the lower-end of the pump tubing 29.

As a result of operating the apparatus35 of our invention in the manner above described well liquid is drawn from the bottom of the well 2| and forced upwardly through the pump tubing 29 into the tank 28 from which a portion of this liquid is withdrawn by the pump 26 and forced downwardly between the tubing 29 and casing 20 for the operation of the motor 36. An excess of well iiuid equal to the amount discharged upwardly by the pump 39 flows outwardly from the tank 28 through the overow pipe 30.

While we have shown and described the invention as operating through the medium of well liquid, it is to be understood that the motor 36 might also be actuated by the use of a gas such as the gas obtained from the well itself, where this is an oil well, this 'gas being forced downwardly and actuating the motor 36 in the same manner as where liquid is employed for this pul'DOse.

The check valve |3|` is provided to permit a resetting of the valve assemblies 80 in their lower extreme positions in case these assemblies should become stalled in a middle position. This resetting is effected by reversing the flow of fluid in the apparatus 35 by shutting off valve |3| in the line 30 and reversing the pump 26 to force prevented by the injection of a suitable treating 1o I chemical from the pump 32 into the operating liquid pipe 25. This chemical is thoroughly mixed with the operating liquid which transfers the chemical to the pumped oil when both are discharged into the motor piston sleeve 5| as above 15 described.

The presence of this chemical thoroughly diffused throughout the oil while it is at the bottom of the well under tremendous pressure greatly decreases the formation of emulsion which 20 would otherwise occur as the oil rises to the surface and this pressure is removed from theoil. Furthermore, this same chemical operates to break down whatever emulsion there is in the oil while the latter lies in storagef i If there should be an appreciable quantity of emulsion in the oil when it reaches the surface, the oil should preferably be heated, according to the usual practice in chemically treating oil for the breaking of emulsions, before the oil is placed 30 in storage.

Chemicals which are preferred for use in the treating method of our invention are those disclosed in copending applications for pnited States Letters Patent of Abraham M. Herb'sman Serial 35 No. 536,490, led May 11, 1931; Serial No. 545,153, filed June 17, 1931; and Serial No. 568,211, led October 10, 1931.

While only a single preferred embodiment of the apparatus of our invention has been shown 40 and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes may be-made in this without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination of a well casing; a tube extending downward into said casing; a packer between said casing and said tube near4 the level from which it is desired to pump liquid from said well, said tube 'dividing the space in said casing. into two separate passageways between said level and the top of said casing, one of said passageways being inside said tube and the other being between said 55 tube and casing; pump means for pumping liquid from said well below said packing and discharging it into one of said passageways; and a separate. pump means for compressing gas accumulating in said well below said packer and discharging 60 it into the same passageway that said liquid is discharged into.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which a uid motor is provided on the lower end of said tubin g, said motor being connected to both of said 65 pumps; and means for delivering fluid under pressure down the other of'said passageways to operate said motor.

3. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination of a well casing; a tube extending down- 70 ward into said casing; a packer between said casing and said tube near the level from which it is desired to pump liquid from said well; pump means for pumping liquid from said well below said packing and discharging itV into said tube; 75

separate pump means for compresslngga's accumulating in said well below said packerand discharging it into said tube; -a fluid motor for driving both of said pumps, said motor being located at the lower end of said tubing; and means to deliver fluid under pressure downward between said tube and said casing to operate said motor.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which a hydraulic motor is provided at the lower end of said tube for operating both of said pumps; and means for delivering downward through the other of said passageways for the purpose of operating said motor a liquid of substantially the same characteristic as that being pumped from said well, the exhaust from said motor being discharged into the first of said passageways with the liquid being pumped.

5. A combination as in claim 3 in which said motor is hydraulically operated and the fluid delivered thereto is substantially of the same characteristics as the liquid being pumped` so as to counterbalance the gravity head of `said liquid.

6. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination of: a well casing; a tube extending downward into said casing; a motor housing connected to the bottom of said tube; a motor cylinder formed within said housing; a piston operating within said cylinder; a piston sleeve connected to said piston and operating reciprocably in said cylinder; a pump cylinder connected to the lower end of said housing; a pump plunger operating in said pump cylinder; valve means on said pump for controlling the pumping of liquid thereby, said plunger being connected to the lower end of said piston sleeve so that a closed passage is formed between said plunger and the interior of said sleeve; a packer between said motor housing and said casing; valve means in said motor housing receiving iluid from the space between said housing and said casing anddelivering it to said motor cylinder and discharging the exhaust from l connecting said pistons;

. said cylinder into said piston sleeve; and means for delivering iiuid under pressure downward through the space between said tube and said casing to operate said motor to cause liquid to be pumped by said pump upwardly through said piston sleeve into said tubing.

7. A combination as in claim 6 in which a gas pump cylinder is concentrically disposed about said sleeve and forms a connecting link between said motor cylinder and said liquid pump cylinder; a gas piston ilxed'on said piston sleeve and operating in said gas cylinder; and valve means for said gas pump cylinder and gas piston which connect to the space in said well beneath said packer and to the interior of said sleeve so that, upon the operation of said motor, gas is drawn from said well beneathv said packer, compressed, and expelled into said sleeve. l

8. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination of: a well casing; a tube extending downward into said casing; a pair of motor cylinders,

the upper of which connects to the lower end of said tube; ,a valve housing connecting said motor cylinders; valve mechanism provided in said housing, there being a central opening `in said valve housing provided with a suitable packing; pistons having longitudinal central openings and disposed in said motor cylinders; a piston sleeve extending through said valve housing and reciprocating pump means connecting to the lower end of the lower of said cylinders; a plunger in said pump means connected to the lower end of said sleeve; a packer in said casing below said valve housing;

and means Afor delivering fluid 'downwardly between said tube and said casing to said valve mechanism to operate said motor pistons in said cylinders to reciprocate said plunger and thereby pump liquid from beneath said packer upwardly in said tube.

9. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination of a well casing; a tube extending downward into said casing, said tube dividing the space in said casing into a plurality of separate vertical 10 passageways; a pair of motor cylinders, the upper of which connects tothe lower end of said tube;

a valve housing connecting said motor cylinders; valve means provided in said valve housing, there being a central opening in said valve housing provided with a suitable packing; pistons having longitudinal central openings and disposed in said motor cylinders; a piston sleeve extending through said valve housing and connecting said pistons; reciprocating pump means connecting to the lower end of the lower of said cylinders; a plunger in said pump means connected to the lower end of said sleeve; a packer in said'casing below said valve housing; and means for delivering fluid under pressure down one of said passageways to operate said motor piston to reciprocate said plunger and pump liquid from beneath said packer upward into the other of said passageways.

l0. In a iluid motor the combination of: a cylinder; a piston; valve means; and hammer means operated by said piston to travel at a greater speed than that of said piston forl delivering a sudden hammer-like blow on said valve means for changing the position of the latter when said piston is closed to one end of a given stroke in said cylinder,

11. In combination: a. pair oi' cylinders; valve means disposed between said cylinders; pistons in said cylinders; a piston connecting member connesting said pistons and extending through said 40 valve means to form a reciprocating piston unit; hamer 'means for delivering a blow upon said valve means as said piston unit approaches an extreme position; and means actuated and controlled by said unit for operating said hammer means at a speed in excess of that of said u nit.

l2. A combination as in claim ll in which a plurality of hammer means as aforesaid are provided, said plurality of hammer means delivering blows to said valve means as said piston unit approaches each o1' two opposite extreme positions.

13. In a deep well pumping apparatus the combination oi a well casing; a tube extending downward into said casing; a valve housing formed by a given section of said tube; motor cylinders formed by sections of said tube at opposite ends of said valve housing, there being openings in the wall of said valve housing to admit operating iluid into said housing from the space between said casing and said tube; valve supporting head means in said housing; packing gland means in said head means; a piston sleeve slidabie in said gland means; pistons provided on opposite ends of said sleeve and disposed in said cylinders, there being an exhaust port in the wall oi.' said sleeve where this sleeve is disposed within said valve head; valve means in said head; means responsive to reciprocation of said pistons for actuating said valves to admit operating fluid from said 7o openings into said cylinders and to admit exhaust iluid from said cylinders through said port and into said piston' sleeve and thereby cause said pistons to reciprocate; means associated with said pistons, piston sleeve, and tube to form a pump for pumping` liquid upwardly through said tube when .said pistons reciprocate a packer between said tube and said casing below said openings;

vand means for delivering operating iiuid down wardly between said tube and casing 'to cause said pistons to reciprocate. Y n

14. A combinationl as in claim 13 in which-said` valve supporting head means includesv two spaced lheads having central apertures supplied with packing glands, anda cylindrical shell connecting said apertures, said piston sleeve extending .through said glands and said shell, each of said lheads also having. exhaust lpassages delivering exhaust Huid into the space between said sleeve NEILB. CURRIER. RODNEY B. CAMPBELL.

through the aforesaid DOrt in said' sleeve into 5 

